Russian Olympic head Zhukov to step down

MOSCOW (AP) Alexander Zhukov, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, says he is ready to step down.

Zhukov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying Tuesday that he wants to devote attention to his position as a deputy speaker of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament. He will remain as a member of the International Olympic Committee, he said, according to state news agency Tass.

Zhukov's six-year tenure as head of the Russian committee has spanned the turbulent scandal over widespread doping that caused Russian track and field athletes to be banned from this year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Two-time Olympic pole-vault gold medalist Yelena Isinbayeva has been reported as saying she wants to head the Russian committee.